Description

A New York Times Best SellerAn Indiebound Best SellerA Kids' Next Top Ten BookA Summer/Fall 2014 Indies Introduce New Voices SelectionA Junior Library Guild SelectionOne of Publishers Weekly s Best Summer Reads Not since Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass have I seen such an original and compelling world built inside a book. Megan Whalen Turner, New York Times best-selling author of A Conspiracy of Kings She has only seen the world through maps. She had no idea they were so dangerous. Boston, 1891. Sophia Tims comes from a family of explorers and cartologers who, for generations, have been traveling and mapping the New World a world changed by the Great Disruption of 1799, when all the continents were flung into different time periods. Eight years ago, her parents left her with her uncle Shadrack, the foremost cartologer in Boston, and went on an urgent mission. They never returned. Life with her brilliant, absent-minded, adored uncle has taught Sophia to take care of herself. Then Shadrack is kidnapped. And Sophia, who has rarely been outside of Boston, is the only one who can search for him. Together with Theo, a refugee from the West, she travels over rough terrain and uncharted ocean, encounters pirates and traders, and relies on a combination of Shadrack s maps, common sense, and her own slantwise powers of observation. But even as Sophia and Theo try to save Shadrack s life, they are in danger of losing their own. The Glass Sentence plunges readers into a time and place they will not want to leave, and introduces them to a heroine and hero they will take to their hearts. It is a remarkable debut. I think The Glass Sentence is absolutely marvelous. It s the best book I ve read in a long time. The world-building is so convincing, the plot so fast-moving and often surprising, and the ideas behind the novel so completely original. I love this book. Nancy Farmer, National Book Award-winning author of The House of the Scorpion I loved it! So imaginative! Nancy Pearl An exuberantly imagined cascade of unexplored worlds, inscribed in prose and detail as exquisite as the ... maps young Sophia uses to navigate such unpredictable landscapes. A book like a pirate's treasure hoard for map lovers like me." Elizabeth Wein, New York Times best-selling author of Code Name Verity Brilliant in concept, breathtaking in scale and stellar in its worldbuilding; this is a world never before seen in fiction . . . Wholly original and marvelous beyond compare. Kirkus Reviews, starred review A thrilling, time-bending debut . . . It s a cracking adventure, and Grove bolsters the action with commentary on xenophobia and government for hire, as well as a fascinating system of map magic. Publishers Weekly, starred review"show more

Review quote

A Summer/Fall 2014 Indies Introduce New Voices SelectionA Junior Library Guild SelectionOne ofPublishers Weekly s Best Summer Reads Not since Philip Pullman'sThe Golden Compasshave I seen such an original and compelling world built inside a book. Megan Whalen Turner, New York Timesbest-selling author ofA Conspiracy of Kings I thinkThe Glass Sentence is absolutely marvelous. It s the best book I ve read in a long time. The world-building is so convincing, the plot so fast-moving and often surprising, and the ideas behind the novel so completely original. I love this book. Nancy Farmer, National Book Award-winning author ofThe House of the Scorpion I loved it! So imaginative! Nancy Pearl An exuberantly imagined cascade of unexplored worlds, inscribed in prose and detail as exquisite as the ... maps young Sophia uses to navigate such unpredictable landscapes. A book like a pirate's treasure hoard for map lovers like me." Elizabeth Wein, New York Timesbest-selling author ofCode Name Verity * Brilliant in concept, breathtaking in scale and stellar in its worldbuilding; this is a world never before seen in fiction . . . Wholly original and marvelous beyond compare. Kirkus Reviews, starred review * A thrilling, time-bending debut . . . It s a cracking adventure, and Grove bolsters the action with commentary on xenophobia and government for hire, as well as a fascinating system of map magic. Publishers Weekly, starred review"show more

About S E Grove

S. E. Grove(www.segrovebooks.com) is a historian and world traveler. She is the author of the Mapmakers trilogy."show more

Customer reviews

4/5 stars
The beginning of the book, I have to admit, was a little slow. However, the story picked up after that. I was very fascinated by the maps, and how it all works. I mean, I know the author described it in the book, but there are also some things she didn't. For instance, how did Sophia perceive the memories on the map? Does it just play inside her head or something like so? Some other questions I have, have regards on the maps themselves. Can you add onto the maps? If you have more information on the subject?
What really moved the story forward was Shadrack's disappearance; his absence was almost like an catalyst for everything that happened afterwards. However, I didn't think the book picked up until Sophia and Theo started to travel---making their way towards Nochtland to find Veressa, which was what Shadrack told Sophia to do. It's when they had to deal with one thing after another: running away from the Sandman and finding the pirates, etc...
Throughout the book, there were about 5 people who talked continuously for over a few page; for example: Mrs. Clay, Grandma Pearl, Mazapan, Veressa and I believe even Shadrack and Blanca. And although it can get quite confusing certain times, I liked the fact that new details had to be reveled and added in order for us to understand what all of the characters are talking about.
I am definitely looking forward to picking up and reading the next book, which is called "The Golden Specific."
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Some quotes I like from this book:
"Then I took a running start and jumped. I had no way of knowing that when I landed, it would be in a different world." (Page 1)
"Shadrack knew it; Sophia sensed it. But she refused to believe it." (Page 23)
"Memory is a tricky thing... It doesn't just recall the past, it makes the past." (Page 45)
"To hold out hope, to be willing to expect the impossible---these are courageous things. You have wonderful resilience." (Page 52)
"Your enthusiasm does you credit. But it will not serve our purpose if you can't carry a heavy pack or walk ten paves without collapsing." (Page 86)
"Only a few minutes had passed, but time expanded around her, filed with a seemingly infinities sense of loss." (Page 98)
"If you tell someone e everything, it's like putting yourself right in their hands. If you lie, you keep the options open---nobody ever has the whole picture of you." (Page 379)
"There's all kinds of things you can get from books." (Page 381)
"Even if it's soon, it will feel like ages to me."
"Then make it short, dear... Make of the time what you want." (Page 482)
***This review is also posted on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/950802045?book_show_action=falseshow more